Desperate Prayers
by dblauvelt
Summary: Before the milk spills.


The air held the scent of smoke and death, yet these smells were more familiar to her than the world through the door behind her. She needed to breath air again, fetid or rank. It was not Perfection but at least it was not sterile- and she needed be away from their wearying attempts to include her, even though they gave up honestly trying long ago. She had been around men long enough to recognize the annoyed glances and irritated sighs. She was out of place, but not the deaf, blind fool they thought. She knew that they were being chased and that there was no time for her questions. The words were strange to her, the buildings new, yes but not the intent of men. Young though she was, she understood people and she entered this world one step ahead of them, for she believed in miracles.

"Um... Good evening."

The man did not surprise her, yet neither did she expect it. She merely accepted him and knew in an instant that he was no danger. He was like the old ones, a rose with the thorns stripped of the familiar threat, young though his form appeared.

She took in his visage and apparel. Calmly she answered, "You do not belong here."

The young man looked down at his spotless cream coat and appeared embarrassed- no ashamed- in some way for his tidy appearance. "No. I shouldn't... Neither do you."

She nodded in agreement.

The man waited for her to speak, but she remained silent.

"I was young once," he began awkwardly, stumbling to fill the silence. "I'm afraid I wasn't aware of- of my actions."

"That is the way of youth." Her voice was soothing, yet innocent, the clear voice of a stream that has yet to become diluted from meeting the sea. "It is how all of us learn." She tilted her head, as if waiting for him to say something meaningful. "We never stop."

His eyes, blue and clear, winced. He found that he could not draw breath.

She saw the pain in his eyes, a pain as familiar to her as the moon in the sky, the familiar touch of the Eternal one. "You grieve."

Shocked, the man took a step backwards, staring at her in wonder. "I don't believe -" that i could have been such a fool that i don't think i ever really spoke to you i never even bothered to listen i have no idea who you are and yet you "I don't- there was a girl I met once but that I just don't, I don't believe..." His voice left him to wither before her.

She stared at the haunted figure, wearing a face too pure to know such torment, and she knew pity. She reached out a hand to touch his brow to offer forgiveness, but he flinched away.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

She was confused. "Why have you come?"

"I've come-" he seemed at a loss again, groping for words. "I've come to show you- a new prayer..."

She nodded and waited.

Gently, he took her hand in his and pressed it against a crystal set into the cold, gray wall. "When you wish to flee to safety, you must pray and push here, like so."

She nodded again. It was simple. She could do it easily.

The lingering warmth of his touch on her arm was all that was left- for he was gone.

She heard voices arguing behind her and could see the elder approaching. Of the young man there was no sign, and she accepted his departure as she had his arrival. But she did not understand why his hand shook so.

**VYON: **I can't sacrifice everything for the sake of that one girl!  
**STEVEN: **Listen! Without us you wouldn't have got off Kembel at all, and nothing would be worth bothering about!  
**VYON: **All right, so we all go back together. But without me, I doubt that you would have got this far either.  
**STEVEN: **Yes, all right, but I won't let you hurt Katarina. We'll head back for Kembel as the Doctor says on the way we may find a way to get her out of there.

(Kirksen hears this.)

**KIRKSEN: **You won't.

(Katarina wrenches her hand free and reaches for the airlock switches. Kirksen, seeing this, tries to get hold of her hand. Outside, Steven and Vyon watch this, and see which control Katarina is reaching for.)

**STEVEN: **No, not that one! Katarina!

(It is too late. The outer airlock doors open, and Katarina and Kirksen are swept into space to their deaths.)

**STEVEN: **KATARINA!

(Vyon's hand flashes to the controls and the outer door closes again, as Steven tries to open the inner door. All three men are in total shock.)

**STEVEN: **_(softly) _Too late. She pressed the wrong button, Doctor.

**DOCTOR: **She may have wanted to, dear boy. She wanted to save our lives.  
**VYON: **_(awkwardly) _It must have been quick.

(The Doctor stares out into space.)

**DOCTOR: **I hope she's reached her Place of Perfection.

(Steven stares at the airlock.)

**STEVEN: **Yes, but not that way.

(The Doctor pats Steven's shoulder again.)

**DOCTOR: **She didn't understand. She couldn't understand. She wanted to save our lives. And perhaps the lives of all the other beings of the Solar System. I hope she's found her Perfection.

(He stares into space again.)

**DOCTOR: **Oh, how I shall always remember her as one of the Daughters of the Gods.Yes, As one of the Daughters of the Gods.

Excerpt from Earthbound Timelords; Scripts projected. no copyright infringement intended.


End file.
